Bristle magazine for brushmaking machine



Feb. 6, 1968 A J. CARLSON 3,357,719

- BRISTLE MAGAZINE FOR BRUSHMAKING MACHINE Fi led June 27. 1966 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 6, 1968 J. I. CARLSON BRISTLE MAGAZINE FORBRUSHMAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27. 1966 Feb. 6, 1968 J.I. CARLSON BRISTLE MAGAZINE FOR BRUSHMAKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed June 27, 1966 United States Patent Ofiiice 3,367,719 Patented Feb.6, 1968 3,367,719 BRISTLE MAGAZINE FOR BRUSHMAKING MACHINE John I.Carlson, Geneva, IlL, assignor to Carlson Tool & Machine Co., acorporation of Illinois Filed June 27, 1966, Ser. No. 560,740 8 Claims.(Cl. 300-4) This invention relates to brushmaking machines and moreparticularly to an improvement in the bristle magazine wherein bristlesare stored and from which bristles are taken to be inserted into thebrushes fabricated in the machine.

Commonly, in a brushmaking machine a brush blank is first drilled at adrilling station so as to be provided with a plurality of holes intowhich tufts of bristles may be inserted. From the drilling station, thedrilled brush blank is then fed to a tufting station wherein tufts ofbristles are inserted in the previously drilled holes to substantiallycomplete the fabrication of the brush. Most brushmaking machines areprovided with a supply of brush bristles adjacent the tufting station.Suitable mechanism is provided for withdrawing a predetermined amount ofbristles from the bristle supply and delivering the bristles to thetufting station where they are driven into and fastened in the drilledholes in the brush blank.

Recent improvements in brushmaking machines have made the operation ofthese machines more automated and have increased the possibility ofassigning the control of a greater number of machines to an individualoperator. One limitation has been that the reservoir of brush bristleshas generally required relatively frequent attention and refilling asopposed to other functions of the machine. This is especially true inthe case of brushmaking machines which make such small brushes astoothbrushes or the like. Also, brush bristles are being packed inincreasingly larger bundles, and it is desirable to provide a reservoirwhich can easily receive such bundles. Present attempts to insert suchbundles or larger quantities of bristles into present bristle magazinescauses the bristles to rather tightly pack together making subsequentfeeding diflicult.

Furthermore, the increased use of nylon bristles has brought aboutproblems in feeding the bristles since nylon bristles tend to bunch andcling together due to such factors as static electricity, minute dirtparticles, and the natural afiinity of the bristles for each other asWell as moisture. Natural fibers are affected to a lesser degree by thesame elements as well as the rather fibrous nature of the natural fiberbristles.

Attempts to remedy the situation by devising a funnellike or hopper-likebristle feeding magazine have proved futile since the bristles packtightly together and do not feed evenly or continuously. For successfultufting operation, any feeding system incorporating a bristle magazinemust be capable of feeding the bristles so that a predetermined numberof bristles will be removed from the magazine through every cycle ofoperation and the feeding must be continuous so that there is an evenflow of bristles throughout the feeding cycle.

This invention is directed to a brush bristle magazine which is providedwith a partially enlarged configuration for receiving a larger supply ofbristles and an auxiliary agitating means for encouraging the continuouseven flow of the bristles in the form of a moving element along one sideof the stack of bristles opposite the enlarged area of the bristlemagazine.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a new andimproved brush bristle storage magazine for a brushmaking machine.

It is a general object of this invention to provide an improved brushbristle feeding magazine for a brushmaking machine wherein the bristlemagazine has a first enlarged area to store larger quantities of brushbristles and a second reduced feeding area to permit controlleddispensation of the bristles.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved brushbristle magazine for a brushmaking machine having an enlarged bristlestorage area and a reduced feeding area and means spanning the storageand feeding area for encouraging continuous even feeding of the brushbristles.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved brushbristle magazine having a moving element adjacent one side of the stackof bristles to assist in the continuous feeding of the bristles.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description of the preferred embodimentsillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a brushmakingmachine illustrating the brush bristle magazine of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of one side of the structure shownin FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the other side of the structureshown in FIGURE 1, opposite from that side shown in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section view taken generally along the line 4-4of FIGURE 1.

Brush bristle magazine 10 of this invention is utilized for storing asupply of brush bristles 12 for use in tufting previously drilled brushblanks. Magazine 10 is secured to the frame 14 of a brushmaking machinegenerally adjacent the center line .16 of tufting mechanism (not shown).A picker bar 17 is mounted for horizontal reciprocation between forkedmember 18 which is secured closely adjacent the bottom of the bristlemagazine 10. The function of the picker bar is to receive apredetermined number of brush bristles from the magazine and carry thebristles to the tufting mechanism generally in the area of center line16. The structure and operation of the picker bar and fork member andother components are relatively old and will not be described in detailherein, reference being had to the state of the art and the disclosureof Carlson Patent 2,709,625, issued May 31, 1955 and assigned to theassignee of this invention.

The brush bristle magazine includes the generally boxlike body 22comprising a back 24, side wall 26 and opposite side wall 28. Side wall28 terminates in an inwardly extending wall 28a which extends generallyperpendicularly from wall 28 towards wall 26 in a plane spaced from thebottom of the magazine. Wall 28a, in turn, terminates at a generallyperpendicularly extending wall 2811 which is substantially parallel towall 28 to form a reduced neck portion 30 at the lower end of themagazine. In the interior of body 22, a curved wall portion 31 extendsbetween the juncture of Walls 28a and 28b and a point on the interior ofthe side wall 28. Preferably the reduced neck portion is similar in sizeto the former bristle magazines so that the dispensation of bristles outthe lower end of the magazine may be accommodated by present picker barand related structure.

If desired, the body 22 may be provided with a cover 32 which ispreferably transparent so that the quantity of bristles contained in themagazine can be readily visually determined. Furthermore, it ispreferable that the cover 32 be secured to the body by means afiordingthe ready access to the interior of the magazine, and in the preferredembodiment this is accomplished by hinge means 34.

Means 36 are provided for normally urging the bristles downwardly in themagazine. Included in this means 36 is a plate 38 which generally spansthe width of the magazine between walls 26 and 28. Plate 38 is securedto the lower end of rods 40 which pass through a guide 42 secured at theupper end of the magazine by bracket means 43. Guide 42 is provided withbushing means 44 in which the rods 40 are held for vertical slidablemovement. Generally a weight means (not shown) is secured to the top ofrods 40 for adding to the normal gravitational force pushing the rods 40downwardly there-by causing plate 38 to urge the bristle supply 12downwardly.

Means 46 is provided in the area of the reduced dimension of the body 22for assisting the flow f bristles in the transitional area of wall 31into the reduced neck 30. Included in means 46 is a means for providinga source of movement such as piston and cylinder device 48 having alinearly extensible piston rod 50. This device 48 is mounted on a plate52 which is secured to the underside of wall 28a and is substantially anextension thereof.

An extension of rod 50 in the form of a blade-like member 54 is securedto the rod 50 for reciprocation inwardly and outwardly relative to thebody 22 of the bristle magazine through upright slot 56 in the lower endof wall 28 and slot 58 in curved wall portion 31. Preferably member 54has a reduced end 59 so that the dimension of slot 58 may be relativelysmall to minimize the possibility of bristles falling through the slotor becoming caught therein. Responsive to an appropriate signal,reciprocation of rod 50 causes reciprocation of member 54 so that theend 59 moves inwardly and outwardly from the bristle supply 12 in thearea just above the reduced neck 30 to prevent the bristles frombecoming packed together in that area.

Means 60 is provided for agitating and encouraging the feeding of thebristles downwardly with respect to the body 22. Included in this meansis a reciprocating arm 62 which is driven by suitable means (not shown).Arm 62 is pivoted to arm 64 at 64a. Arm 64, in turn, is secured to a hub65 for rotation relative to shaft 66 and also bears a pawl member 68.Pawl member 68 is positioned for engagement with a ratchet 70 which isfixed on shaft 66.

Hub 65 houses slip clutch structure for transmitting driving forceimparted to shaft 66 by ratchet 70 to shaft 72 which is coaxiallypositioned within shaft 66. A pair of chain sprockets 76 are journallednear the end of shaft 72 opposite from ratchet 79. Moving elements orchains 78 are wrapped around sprockets 76 at the lower end of side wall26 and also around sprockets 8d at a point intermediate the end of sidewall 26. Sprockets 80, in turn, are rotatably secured on shafts 82mounted on bushing means 83 on the outside of side wall 26.

Upright slots 83a and 83b are formed in side wall 26 to permit thechains 78 to slightly protrude to the interior of the body 22. In thepreferred embodiment, the chains protrude about of an inch to theinterior of the body. The chains extend above and below the reduced neckportion 30 and are generally driven downwardly through theaforedescribed ratchet, pawl and slip clutch structure to gently urgeand agitate the bristles downwardly into the neck portion to preventjamming and bunching thereof and to permit the continuous even feedingof the bristles to the picker mechanism.

When the lower narrow channel of the magazine is filled with bristles, asubstantial resistance is imposed upon the chains 78. In such acondition, the clutch slips and no driving force is transmitted to thechains. As the bristles are extracted from the bottom of the magazine,there is less resistance imposed on the chains and the clutch permitsdriving forces to be transmitted to the chains which, in turn, willassist in insuring that bristles fill the narrow neck portion of themagazine.

The bristle magazine of this invention provides a means for holding alarger quantity of brush bristles and feeding the brush bristles in acontinuous even flow. The particular configuration of the magazine,including the one straight side wall and the other partially offset sidewall, in combination with the moving element in the one straight sidewall extending above and below the enlarged area of the magazine,provides a novel means for storing and dispensing brush bristles. Inaddition, the magazine is such that it may be readily incorporated inpresent brushmaking machine structure without any significant alterationthereof.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. A bristle feeding magazine for use in a brushmaking machine,comprising: a body having an open lower end and including spacedgenerally upright side walls forming part of an enclosure for receivingand feeding brush bristles, said side walls spaced apart a firstenlarged distance at the upper end of said body and a second reduceddistance at the lower feeding end of said body, the upper and lower endportions of the body being joined by an intermediate wall portion toprovide continuous even feeding of bristles out the reduced lower end.

2. The bristle magazine of claim 1 wherein one of said side walls issubstantially straight and the other side wall has a curved portionintermediate its ends terminating in a straight portion defining thereduced end of the bristle magazine.

3. The bristle magazine of claim 1 wherein one of the walls of themagazine is provided with a moving element which extends into theinterior of the magazine.

4. The bristle magazine of claim 3 wherein one of said side walls issubstantially straight and the other side wall has a curved portionintermediate its ends terminating in a straight portion defining thereduced end of the bristle magazine.

5. The bristle magazine of claim 4 wherein part of said moving elementis positioned in the interior of the straight side wall and extendsabove and below the curved portion of the opposite wall in a generallyupright plane.

6. The bristle magazine of claim 5 wherein the direction of movement ofthe moving element is toward the reduced end of the magazine.

7. The bristle magazine of claim 6 wherein the moving element is drivenby means responsive to the load conditions in the bristle magazine tomove the moving element when the bristles in the magazine are tightlybunched together.

8. The bristle magazine of claim 7 wherein the side wall having theintermediate curved portion is provided with a reciprocating agitatorelement which is positioned to protrude into the interior of themagazine in the area of the curved wall portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 734,625 7/1903 Smith 300-51,846,141 2/1932 Person 300--3 GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., PrimaryExaminer.

1. A BRISTLE FEEDING MAGAZINE FOR USE IN A BRUSHMAKING MACHINE,COMPRISING: A BODY HAVING AN OPEN LOWER END AND INCLUDING SPACEDGENERALLY UPRIGHT SIDE WALLS FORMING PART OF AN ENCLOSURE FOR RECEIVINGAND FEEDING BRUSH BRISTLES, SAID SIDE WALLS SPACED APART A FIRST ENLARGEDISTANCE AT THE UPPER END OF SAID BODY AND A SECOND REDUCED DISTANCE ATTHE LOWER FEEDING END OF SAID BODY, THE UPPER AND LOWER END PORTIONS OFTHE BODY BEING JOINED BY AN INTERMEDIATE WALL PORTION TO PROVIDE CON-